Chapter 36
Rick
Iknew it was trouble when Chester showed up unannounced. An aura of calm confidence exuded from his every feature as he took a seat in the rickety chair in front of my desk, the old wood creaking under the man’s considerable bulk. The smallest smile quirked his lips.
His gaze suddenly grew flinty, a cold certitude clear in his eyes. “I should have known you’d try to make a deal with that prick.” He practically sneered the words. “I told you what I wanted from you. I wanted him gone, out of the picture. Instead, you had to play nice guy with him.”
Cold dread sank deep in my belly. I suspected Chester would be angry when he found out what we’d done. I’d hoped that anger would be short-lived, however.
I was wrong.
Chester was livid, and the fact the dangerous kingpin was sitting in front of me—in my office no less—was a very, very bad sign. I opened my mouth to speak, but Chester cut me off.
“I can’t trust you anymore, Trafford. You can’t be relied upon when it’s required. A man is no good to me if he can’t perform when the times call for it.” Chester shrugged, the nonchalance even more unsettling with his gimlet gaze still fixed upon me. “Which is why I’ve decided I’m going to be getting into the security business. Your security business.”
I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. “What?”
“Oh, yes. I’m going to buy it from you.” The glint in his eyes was pure predatory avarice. “And you’re going to sell it to me. For one dollar.”
I shook my head. “No fucking way. I’m not selling,” I said, raising my chin. I gritted my teeth so hard, I wondered if one of them would break. “Nobody could run it without me.”
Chester’s icy laughter held not an ounce of mirth or genuine humor. I wasn’t sure the asshole was even capable of such a thing.
“Oh, I’m sure you’ll sell soon enough—if you want to keep Geneva in your life, that is.” The sneer on his lips as he said it made the man look particularly ugly in that moment.
My chest tightened with the rage just beginning to bubble up inside me. Chester understood the leverage he had on me; I would do whatever it took to make sure she stayed with me. I closed my eyes, willing myself to remain composed, and not succumb to the fury I feared would overtake me at any moment.
“I’ll even let you keep your job. But I’ll be your owner.” Mockery and arrogance dripped from every word. “I should warn you, though, that approximately two seconds after you sign the paperwork, I’ll be on the hunt for new management for my new company.” Steel crept into Chester’s baritone voice. “And when I do find that ideal candidate… I’ll fire your fucking ass. How does that sound, Trafford? Shitcanned from the very company you founded?” Chester’s eyes practically danced with delight. “And it’ll still have your goddamned name on the letterhead!” Chester dissolved into laughter, wiping at his eyes.
“You’re not going to find a soul who’d take the job. None of my people, that’s for sure.”
Chester winked at me. “I’ve also heard about your lieutenant—Viola’s her name, if I’m not mistaken. Apparently, she does the majority of the heavy lifting these days. If you were to sell, she would be the natural choice for the new management at Trafford Security, don’t you think?”
Cold betrayal sank deep and painful in my belly. There was no way Viola would even consider it. “Bullshit.”
“I’ve already begun conversations with her, actually.” Chester tugged at the cuff of his dress shirt. Then he stood, buttoning his suitcoat. “Has all sorts of ideas, that one.”
What the hell?
It couldn’t possibly be true, but of all the things Chester Nantes was infamous for, bluffing wasn’t one of them.
Fuck.
It was a nightmare. I stared at Chester in disbelief, and then slowly he nodded his head.
I had no real choice—and he knew it.
“At least you finally understand the situation,” he said. “I’ll have the paperwork drawn up in the morning. All you need do is sign it.” He chuckled as he headed for the door. “I didn’t expect you’d roll over so easily. And for someone like my niece, no less. You’re that hard up, Trafford?”
I jumped up from my chair, slapping my palm down on the desk, one of my silver pens spinning off onto the floor with a hollow clatter. “You watch your fucking mouth.”
Chester turned slowly on his heel toward me. His eyes narrowed, but he wasn’t rattled in the least. “Careful, Trafford. I might decide to rescind my offer. There could be worse terms for this sale, you know.”
“Get out. I’ll sign it, but… get out of my office.”
Nantes opened the door, not looking back as he almost trilled the words, his tone dripping with malicious mirth. “That’s going to be the last time you say those words. It’s my office as of tomorrow.”
Then he was gone, the door rattling in its frame as it slammed shut behind him.
I sank back into my chair, cursing under my breath. “You’re absolutely rat fucked.”
I was going to keep my girl after all… but I was going to lose everything in the process.